This invention relates to a process for recovery of tantalum from tantalum bearing material. More particularly, it relates to a process for producing pure tantalum oxide from material such as scrap metal, metal powder, tantalum carbide, and tantalum oxides of lesser purity.
Tantalum has a high melting point (2849.degree. C.) and is therefore qualified as construction material for equipment or machinery to be exposed to high temperatures. Furthermore, tantalum is also used as a component of many alloys. For most of these uses tantalum is desired in a high degree of purity.
Since there is a commercial demand for high purity tantalum, a process for producing high purity tantalum from sources such as scrap metal, metal powder, tantalum carbide, and tantalum oxides of lesser purity is desirable.
Typical prior art processes utilize solvent extraction or ion exchange techniques which require costly equipment. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are typical of prior art processes: 3,107,976, 2,895,793, 2,880,060, 2,819,945, 4,182,744, 4,069,268, 4,065,405, 3,972,710.